The objective of the Department of Communication is to develop pluridisciplinary studies and research in the domain of Information and Communication. It aims to provide an in-depth analytical training in the problems posed by communication in our society in general, in accordance with the various means and domains of application at its disposal. This study programme can lead to jobs in information and communication and to certain professions which call on the use and analysis of the media.

This second cycle of University studies ("licence") in Information and Communication is accessible to :

a) Students who have passed their first study cycle ("candidature") in Social Sciences or in the Arts and hold the "Information and Communication" qualification delivered by UCL or by another Belgian university.

b) Students who have passed their first study cycle ("candidature") in Political Sciences or Social Sciences : Sociology at UCL, on condition that this cycle corresponds to the following prerequisites :

or

The courses which were not followed during the " candidature" (maximum, four) must be added to the programme of the first year of the second cycle of studies ("licence").

c) The ESPO and DRT Faculties of UCL organise a branch of studies of the "candidature" in Law with a view to the "licence" in Information and Communication.

Holders of a law degree from UCL are entitled access to the "licence" in Information and Communication, on condition that they followed at least five of the prerequisities listed below during their "candidature". Those prerequisites not followed during the candidature (maximum, four) will have to be added to the programme of the first "licence" in Information and Communication.

or

Students enrolled for their second year of "candidature" in Law may include one or several or these courses in their "candidature" programme.

d) The ESPO and FLTR Faculties of UCL organise branches of "candidatures" in the Arts : History, Romance Languages and Literature, Germanic Languages and Literature, with a view to the "licence" in Information and Communication.

- Holders of a "candidature" diploma in the Arts : History diploma holders will be entitled access to the "licence" in Information and Communication, on condition that they followed at least two of the six prerequisities listed below during their "candidature". Any prerequisites not followed (maximum, four) will have to be added to the first year "licence" programme in Information and Communication.

A language course (Dutch, English, German) at intermediate level

- Holders of a "candidature" diploma in the Arts : Romance Languages and Literature or Germanic Languages and Literature are entitled access to the "licence" in Information and Communication, on condition that they followed at least three of the seven prerequisities below during their "candidature" programme. Any prerequisites not followed (maximum four) will have to be added to the first year "licence" programme in Information and Communication.

e) Holders of a university "candidature" diploma in one of the subjects from the Human Sciences (particularly those from Social Sciences, Economic Sciences and Management and from the Arts with a different qualification) as long as their programme included certain prerequisites.

If the number of non-attended prerequisite courses, established by the Academic Secretary, is judged as being too heavy, the candidate will have to enrol for the single "candidature" exam session organised by Faculty.

f) Holders of a second cycle university degree may, after analysis of their application, be dispensed from doing certain 'catching up' sessions by the Academic Secretary of the Department of Communication.

g) Holders of a Further Education diploma on the following conditions :

1. Holders of a "licence" degree in Applied Communication or Interpreting or Translating, subject to the possible addition of complementary courses (for a maximum of 150 hours) to their first year programme.

2. Holders of a "candidat" diploma in Applied Communication, a non-university diploma ("graduat") in communication, social assistant, social advisor, social and fiscal advisor, librarian or documentary studies, human resources, psychology assistant, teaching certificate for lower secondary school classes (literary and social sections), subject to the prior successful completion of one year of studies.

All questions concerning admission or complementary information linked to points 1 and 2 above, should be addressed to the secretary's office of the Department of Communication.

h) Other university or higher education diploma holders may have access to these studies by obtaining the "candidature" in Information and Communication in a single year. Questions concerning admission and information on this single year of "candidature" should be addressed to the secretary's office for the "Candidature" in Economic, Social and Political Sciences.

The conditions and regular admission procedures are detailed on the web page "Access to Studies":
http://www.ucl.ac.be/etudes/libres/acces.html

Before submitting their enrolment to the University (http://www.etu.ucl.ac.be/inscriptions.html), those students not included in point a) of the admission conditions are requested to introduce their admission request via the Department Secretary.

The study programme ("licence") is spread over two years of courses and consists of :

• a programme of lectures, seminars and workshops covering 780 hours ;
• a period of professional apprenticeship or a supervised project in relation with the chosen orientation ;
• an end of course thesis.

The course programme is divided up as follows :

• first year : minimum 420 hours and maximum 540 hours of lectures, seminars and workshops ;
• second year : minimum 240 hours of lectures, seminars and workshops.

The last course will be followed in the 2nd year of the " licence"

The "licence" programme in Information and Communication: "Journalism" orientation, offers the students a course which is theoretical, empirical and practical alike - in written, spoken, televised and multimedia journalism. The tuition ( lectures, seminars and workshops) associates, within an integrated training project, the study of the foundations of communication and journalism, training in journalistic practices, critical analysis and involvement in the professional field (partly owing to the apprenticeship). Thanks to a sustained and dynamic collaboration between the lecturers and professional journalists, the programme helps the students grasp - within a global training project - the systematic approaches , objective reflection and the taking into consideration of the concrete social dimensions of the profession. Mindful to offer the students a solid, open university education, the lecturers are particularly attentive to the indispensable consideration to be given to the multiple components of the context in which this profession is set.

Course to be chosen in the 2nd year of the "licence" programme

Course to be chosen in the 2nd year of the "licence" programme

Courses to be chosen in the 2nd year of the "licence" programme

The"Analysis of media systems" orientation offers a series of lectures and seminars aimed at providing in-depth knowledge of media systems (the cinema, audiovisual information, the press, advertising, multimedia ...). The objective is not to train journalists, but rather observors and analysts of the media, capable of intervening in sectors such as education, ongoing training, criticism, advertising ... The mastering of the theoretical tools together with in-depth knowledge of the different media and multi-media domains will provide the students of this orientation with expertise in several different professional sectors (companies, advertising agencies, non-commercial sectors ...).

The "Mediation of knowledge" orientation is in line with the current evolution towards a society of knowledge and sharing of know-how. It consists of :

• indepth training in communication theories in general and in accordance with the different semiotic and mediatic forms (verbal interaction, written texts, fixed and moving images etc.) ;
• an analytical approach of cultural practices and the various means of media especially dedicated to the mediation of different forms of knowledge (scientific popularisation, public communication, educational television, new educational technologies, museums and exhibitions, etc.) ;
• practical training in the evaluation and the conception of such means.

Course to be chosen in the 2nd year of the "licence" programme

Workshop to be chosen in the 2nd year of the "licence" programme

Students following the "Mediation of Knowledge" orientation are only concerned by the ten hours of lectures.

Seminar to be chosen in the 2nd year of the "licence" programme

This orientation helps to train the students in the study of the phenomena of communication proper to organisations as well as in the analysis of the principal strategies of institutional communication.

The organisations concerned may be of a commercial or non-commercial nature ("ONG", culture, politics, health, etc.).

This orientation thus prepares for research, expertise and professional practice in the domain of public relations, communication with companies, administration bodies or associated groups : large-scale communication campaigns, more targeted actions, operations under cultural patronages, lobbying or mediation (such as crisis or conflict management), internal communication policies, company press, communicational audits, etc.

Different theoretical aspects are examined during the courses and a good number of applications or cases for analysis are dealt with during the course of the seminars, exercises and periods of practical work experience.

Workshop to be chosen in the 2nd year of the "licence" programme

Students following the "Public Relations and Communication with Organisations" orientation are only concerned by the ten hours of lectures.

Remark :

For students who so wishes, they may exceptionally and on the basis of a special training programme which has been duly justified, construct a transversal programme with the different course orientations which do not require any special prior cursus. This programme will then be established under the responsibility of the Academic Secretary who will evaluate its pertinence and logic.

The student will have to choose 120 hours of options from among :

- all the second study cycle of courses of the department not followed by the student (with the exception of the courses which require another course to be taken beforehand, if the latter has not yet been followed by the student);

- a language course ;

- a course featuring on the University programmes, excluding the programme of the Department of Communication.

The student will complete a practical professional apprenticeship in a domain of application. If he is enrolled for the "Analysis of the Media" or the "Mediation of Knowledge" orientations, he may replace his work experience by a supervised project.

A student may, out of personal interest, wish to surpass the planned timetable volume of 780 hours (by 60 hours maximum), in order to add further courses to his programme or to complete his training programme with a second period of professional work experience (equivalent to 30 hours). In this case, he is encouraged to submit his request to this effect to the Academic Secretary, taking care to justify his motivation.

The end of course thesis should reflect its author's ability to correctly present the results of a personal methodical piece of research. It should enable the student to become initiated into research in Information and Communication and to achieve a personal summary of the training acquired during his years of studies.

The choice of the subjet, the appointment of the promoters and readers as well as the administrative procedures relating to the writing of the thesis are governed by a reglementation that can be obtained at the secretary's office of the Department.

The insertion of the Department of Communication in the European exchange programmes (Socrates-Erasmus) enables the students who wish to perfect their training, to carry out part of their studies abroad during the second semester of the second year of the programme.

The "licence" diploma in Information and Communication entitles access to the DES (diploma of specialised studies) in Multimedia Communication.

It also entitles access to the DEA (diploma in further studies) in Communication, when awarded with distinction.